While Manchester City destroyed Stoke City, Chelsea fell further down the Premier League table with a pathetic performance against Crystal Palace.
Chelsea are now nine points behind Premier League leaders, Manchester City. It may only be mid-October, but there is little positivity left regarding a successful title defence. Last season, Chelsea were eight points behind after six games and required a record-equalling winning streak to get out in front. Hence, Blues fans are justifiably not projecting much optimism.
Manchester United had done their job and grabbed a point from their tricky away clash against Liverpool. However, City then proceeded to show why Jose Mourinho should have gone for all three points. They put seven goals past Stoke City. Seven.
Chelsea, therefore, just had to dispatch Crystal Palace. Not only that, but with zero goals and zero points from the opponent’s opening seven games, the Blues should have boosted their goal difference.
Instead, a reinvigorated Palace drew inspiration from deep within and took the game to the champions. They scored early and Chelsea drew level. But Palace were undeterred and doubled their season goal tally before the end of the first half.
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Chelsea, meanwhile, were devoid of creativity and backbone. With N’Golo Kante and Alvaro Morata missing, the Blues’ terrible summer business came back to haunt them.
Given a chance to show why he deserves more minutes, Michy Batshuayi flopped as disastrously as Roy Hodgson’s England team. Tammy Abraham, on the other hand, bagged a brace as Swansea City won 2-0. Who would you prefer in your team?
More concerningly, Victor Moses came off with a hamstring injury. As Chelsea’s disabled list grows, the cracks on the field are getting wider and wider. The abyss is not just in terms of points, but Conte’s selection options, too.
The Blues are now a full nine points behind Man City and their schedule does not get easier. A game against Watford is next. That game, at Stamford Bridge, would have previously been seen as an straightforward win. However, Marco Silva has whipped the Hornets into shape and they currently sit in fourth place after beating Arsenal.
An away assignment against Bournemouth is also a tricky one. Sure, the Cherries have been poor thus far, but Palace had been even worse. Perhaps taking on the vulnerable champions is all the inspiration they need?
Manchester United then follows. That fixture could truly bury Chelsea’s title hopes, should they still be lingering around by then.
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Chelsea started last season appallingly, but a tactical switch and an unprecedented winning run turned their fortunes around. The Blues will need to rewrite records in even greater fashion if they are to pull themselves out of this abyss.